Bullfighting board game apparatus



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B ULLF I G HTING BOARD-GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3,1968 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 N INVENTORS HERBERT L. MANN ERNESTO PENA W )7, %1 a. a

y 1.970 H. l.;.. MANN ET'AL BULLFIGHTING BOARD GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5. 1968 INVENTORS HERBERT 1.. MANN ERNESTO PENA W n. za W 0%.

United States Patent 3,511,504 BULLFIGHTING BOARD GAME APPARATUS Herbert L. Mann, North Miami Beach, and Ernesto Pena, Miami, Fla., assignors to Firstamerica Games, Inc., Hollywood, Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed. Jan. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 695,378 Int. Cl. A63f 3/02 U.S. Cl. 273-134 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game equipment for use in playing a bullfighting game, the equipment including a game board, a bull playing piece in the form of a bull, three sets of team playing pieces including a torero, a picador, a banderillero and a matador, and a plurality of tiles numbered on one side with the numbered side having two numbers thereon, one indicating the number of moves to be taken by the bull and the other indicating the number of moves to be taken by any one of the team playing pieces of one set thereof. The game board is divided into rectangular channels by marks or by raised ridges, and the playing pieces are each of a size to allow the same to move along and within the confines of the channels on the board. The object of the game is to build up the highest score, and this is attempted by each team through attacks on the bull, and by the bull through attacks on the team pieces on the board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although many types of games are available, to our knowledge there has been no board game based on the widely popular sport of bullfighting. To be successful, a game should involve elements of skill, luck, suspense and relaxation to name a few. It would be desirable if a bullfighting game incorporating these elements could be developed and made available to the public.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides bullfighting game equipment which is novel both as to its form and as to its manner of use in playing a game. The components of the equipment, and the manner of playing the game using this equipment will be described herein with reference to the drawings. The provision of game playing pieces comprising figurines in the form of the human beings and animals involved in an actual bullfight, and the movement of such pieces through a maze of channels on a game board with the team pieces attacking the bull and the bull piece attacking the team pieces is believed to represent a novel type of game equipment which provides an interesting game.

It is an object of the present invention to provide game equipment simulating the arena and figures involved in an actual bullfight.

Another object of the invention is to provide game playing pieces for a bullfighting game each of which is in three-dimensional conformity to a human or animal form, as the case may be.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game board for a bullfighting game divided into a maze of channels through which game pieces may be moved in a zig-zag fashion with one count for each straight move.

A further object of the invention is to provide tiles each having two numbers thereon with one number indicating the number of moves to be taken on a board by a bull playing piece and the other number indicating the number of moves to be taken on the board by a team playing piece.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game board in which channels on the board are defined by Another object of the invention is to provide playing pieces for a bullfighting game in which each piece includes a pedestal and a figurine supported on the pedestal.

Another object of the invention is to provide molded plastic playing pieces in three-dimensional conformity to a human or animal form and representing the figures in a 'bullfight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game board with a maze of channels thereon with four angularly spaced entrances to the maze, these entrances preferably being provided respectively adjacent the four sides of a square board.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game board, a bull playing piece, three sets of team playing pieces and a plurality of tiles comprising game equipment in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the game playing equipment of FIG. 1 as it might appear in the process of playing a bullfighting game; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified board showing raised ridges for dividing the board into rectangular channels.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown the game equipment for a bullfighting game in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The equipment includes a game board 10 which preferably is square as shown and has an approximation of a circle 12 marked thereon representing the bullring. The bullring is divided into a maze of rectangular channels 14, and in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the channels 14 are defined by straightline marks 16 on the game playing surface of the board. As an alternative, as shown in FIG. 3, the channels 14 may be defined by ridges 18 raised a short distance above the playing surface, and these ridges help to retain the playing pieces within the channels as the pieces are moved on the board. Spaced angularly about the board, and preferably at each side of the board, are entrances 20 through which each game playing piece is entered into the maze of channels.

There is one bull playing piece 22 which includes a figurine 24 in the shape of a bull standing on a pedestal 26, the bull playing piece 22 being of a size allowing it to be moved along and within the confines of the channels 14 on the board. The hull piece 22 enters the maze of channels at an entrance 20, in this case at the lower left side of the board as illustrated in FIG. 1.

There are three sets of team playing pieces each comprised of four team pieces with each team piece being of a size allowing it to move along and within the confines of the channels 14 on the board. The three sets of team pieces are shown respectively at three sides of the board '10 in FIG. 1. Each team piece consists of a figurine standing on a pedestal, and the figurines are three dimensional and in conformity with the figures of an actual fullfight. There is a figurine 28 in the form and attire of a picador seated on a horse 29 with the horse standing on a pedestal 30. A second piece in each set of team pieces is a figurine 32 in the form and attire of a banderillero standing on a pedestal 34. A third piece in each set in a figurine 36 in the form and attire of a matador carrying a cape 37 and standing on a pedestal 38. The last piece in each set is a figurine 40 in the form of a torero having a cape 40 and standing on a pedestal 42. The sets of team pieces enter the maze of channels through an entrance 20 on the respective side of the board. All of the playing pieces are preferably molded plastic articles in three dimensional conformity to the appropriate human or animal form. The sets of team pieces are preferably of different colors so that they can be distinguished from each other. Also included in the game playing equipment is a plurality of tiles 46 shown in FIG. 1 arranged in a stack 44 except for one tile. Each tile 46 has a blank side and a numbered side, and on the numbered side there are two numbers, preferably in different colors, such as white and black. The white number, such as 7 in FIG. 1, indicates the number of moves to be taken by a team piece, and the black number, such as 1 in FIG. 1, indicates the number of moves to be taken by the bull piece 22. The tiles may be drawn in sequence by the team players from the stack 44, or they may be dealt out to the team players at the beginning of the game and then simply turned over by the team players in sequence.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the board 10, the various pieces and the tiles 46 as they might appear in the progress of a game in which all of the team pieces have been entered on the board and some of them have been removed due to attacks as will be explained in connection with the rules of a game. These rules will now be described.

Place the stack of tiles face down at random. Each player selects one tile. The player with the highest total on his tile becomes the first bull-player. For example, the four players might turn up 1-5, 4-1, 5-3 and 64. The one with the 6-4 tile, having the highest total, is the first bull-player. Each player in turn becomes the bull, so that everyone has a chance to play a team three times, and the bull one time, during a complete game or corrida. The object of the game is to build up the highest score. This is done by each team through attacks on the bull, and by the bull through attacks on any and all team pieces on the board. The teams attack simultaneously, so that it is possible (but unlikely) for the bull to have 12 men to choose from in making his attack.

A piece can be moved part-way along a channel, or all the way until stopped by a barrier or another piece. Each straight move is a count, and back-tracking, or moving back and forth in one channel, is not permitted. Each turn to the left or right is an additional count. Entering the arena is one count.

The moving pieces of each team enter the arena in a specific order, just as in a real bullfight. The torero 40 I is always the first to enter. He is on foot and unarmed, and cannot score against the bull, but he must always be in the bullring before any other piece can enter or score. His job is to distract the bull, perhaps set him up for another piece, and when possible to help block the bulls charges at other pieces.

The picador 28 is the second man to enter the arena. He is mounted on a horse, and so travels faster and further than any other piece. He can score against the bull; in fact, he is the most valuable scorer for each team.

The banderillero 32 is the man who disables the bull with his darts. He has to hit the bull before the matador can enter the arena to attack the bull.

The matador 36 is always the last man to enter, just as in real bullfighting. He is the only one who can finish off the bull, and this he can do only after his teams banderillero has scored against the bull.

Each player except the bull takes twelve tiles from the stack, always face down. Each team player keeps his tiles in front of himself. Alternatively, the tiles may be drawn successively from a stack 44 as the game progresses in the manner indicated in 'FIG. 2. The team player to the left of the bull starts the play by picking up one tile without letting anyone else see it. He hides the white number with his thumb, and shows the bull-player the black number. The hull moves first on every tile throughout the game. The bull is entered at the appropriate entrance 20, and moves the number of counts down on the tile. Then the team player enters his torero at the entrance before him, for the count shown on the white half of the tile. Then the second player picks up a tile and shows the bull-player only the black half; the bull moves, then the player moves his torero into the arena. The third player follows the same procedure. Then the player to the left of the bull picks up a second tile, and the bull and the team player make their moves. This time the team player may enter his picador into the arena (provided the torero is still in the arena). The picador, being on horseback, moves twice the number of counts shown on the white half of the title. For example, if the number on the tile is 3, he moves 6 counts; if it is 4, he moves 8, and so on. Play continues around the table in this way, the bull always moving first.

First, here are the points which each team piece, and the bull, can score.

Against the bull (for disabling him, as explained in the next paragraph):

Points Torero 0 Picador 150 Banderillero 100 (He can score only once.)

Matador 250 (Ending that portion of the game.)

Against the team players, the bull scores for disabling any piece:

Points Torero 25 Picador Banderillero v 50 Matador To score against the bull, the picador 28 must end up his exact count in the position where the bull is standing. In order to finish the bull, the matador 36 must do the same thing. The banderillero 32, however, can disable the bull, and collect points, either by ending his count where the bull is, or by running over him during any part of his count. For example, the banderillero 32 might get a 5 count from the tile. If he is 3 moves away from the bull he can move 1 and 2, simulatedly put his darts in the bull anywhere along the line of his 3 counts, and go ahead with his 4 and 5 count. The bull then is moved to the center.

When any team player disables the bull, or the bull disables any team piece, a score is made. When any team player scores against the bull, his scoring piece takes the bulls place on the board, and the bull moves to the center of the arena. If the bull is in the center when disabled, he is removed from the arena entirely, and must re-enter through the bulls entrance. When the bull disables any team piece, the piece is removed from the arena and must re-enter through the players entrance. If the torero 40 is disabled, he must be re-entered on the players next turn. The torero must always be in the arena for any member of his team to be moved. If any other piece is in the center of the arena when the bull is disabled, there is a double-count, the player who disables the bull gets his proper score, and the bull-player gets a score for the piece which is disabled by the bull as he goes into the center. The piece is removed from the center and the bull stays there until his next turn to move; the disabled piece goes out of the arena and can be re-entered.

If one or more pieces of any combination of pieces blocks the bull so that the bull-player cannot complete his count in any way, the bull is removed from the arena and each piece used in the blockade scores 50 points for his player, which is taken off the bulls score. The bull can then be re-entered.

The matador can only finish the bull with a tile count 5 which will end in the exact position that the bull is on. The matador can enter the ring only after his (not another teams) banderillero has disabled the bull. The matador scores 250 points, and that part (one-quarter) of the game is finished (one bull of the 4-bull corrida has been run).

If at any time a players entrance is blocked by one of his own men while he is trying to enter the arena with a second man, then he is permitted to exchange men by putting the second man in the place of the man blocking the entrance, provided the torero is already in the arena; otherwise the torero must first be exchanged before any other exchanges. After the exchange the player continues to complete his full tile count. However, a player cannot enter the matador 36 in an exchange unless the banderillero 32 has first disabled the bull. A player is not permitted to make any move that would leave any of his men at the bull entrance. If the bull is not finished after all 36 tiles are played, turn the tiles face down in one pile, re-shuflle them, and again draw 12 for each of the team players. Repeat the play as before. If the bull has not been finished by the end of 72 tiles (twice through the entire set), he wins by default and scores 250 points, and that quarter of the game is ended.

Rotate the board one-quarter turn, so that the player on the bulls left during the just-finished part of the game becomes the bull. Play and scoring are exactly as in the first part of the game. At the end of the second part of the game, move the board to the third player, and at the end of that part of the game, to the fourth.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Game equipment including in combination a game board having a playing surface divided into a maze of rectangular channels to be followed by playing pieces in the course of a game, a bull playing piece in the shape of a bull of a size allowing said bull piece to move along and within the confines of said channels on said board, three sets of team playing pieces each comprised of four team pieces with each team piece being of a size allowing the same to move along and within the confines of said channels on said board, each of said sets of team playing pieces comprising a first figurine in the form and attire of a torero having a cape, a second figurine in the form and attire of a picador seated on a horse, a third figurine in the form and attire of a banderillero, and a fourth figurine in the form and attire of a matador having a cape, and figurines of each set being distinguishable from the figurines of each other set, and a plurality of tiles each having a blank side and a numbered side with the numbered side having two numbers thereon, one indicating the number of moves to be taken on the board by the bull playing piece and the other indicating the number of moves to be taken on the board by any one of the team playing pieces of one of said sets thereof, said tiles being adapted to be drawn by persons playing the sets of team pieces.

2. The game equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which said channels on said playing surface are defined by marks.

3. The game equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which said channels on said playing surface are defined by ridges raised a short distance above said playing surface.

4. The game equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said playing pieces includes a pedestal on which said figurine is supported.

5. The game equipment as claimed in claim 4 in which each of said playing pieces is a molded plastic article in three dimensional conformity to a human or animal form, as the case may be, standing on said pedestal.

6. The game equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which said game board has an entrance to the maze of channels on each of four angularly spaced portions thereof.

7. The game equipment as claimed in claim 6 in which said game board is square and said entrances are respectively adjacent the four sides of said board.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,316,862 4/1943 Haggard et al. 273131 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,298,367 6/ 1962 France. Ad. 26,096 1896 Great Britain DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273136 

